Blue Egg genetics

[BeardedLadyFarm]

There is just one gene for blue eggs, correct? If a bird is homozygous for it, are the eggs any bluer than heterozygous birds?

Do other factors influence the saturation in blue egg color? Are there truly robin's egg blue chicken eggs or are those photos just made bluer by the camera (or the seller)?

Any links to other sites or post will be welcomed. I am trying to understand chickens, one gene at a time!

 

[pips&peeps]

I think birds can be homozygous for the blue egg gene, but also carry the genes that coat the brown on the outer shell it's a completely different gene. So, the eggs would not theoretically be "bluer", it would just depend on the luck of the draw.

The blue color comes from a liver enzyme I believe, so the healthier the bird, the better the egg color in my opinion. The color saturation also fades as the laying season progresses.

Robins lay green/blue or turquois eggs. Really!!! Go find a robins egg shell this spring and I think you will find they are not sky blue.

If you want to verify a sellers true egg color, ask for shell samples.

 

[AHappychick]

I found a 1/2 of a robins egg that had fallen out of the nest after it hatched. I kept the shell and took a pic of it at the time with one of my bluest eggs (I now have bluer eggs as my Ameraucanas were not laying yet). It is not sky blue but tourquoise like pips&peeps said but I would LOVE to get an egg that color!

I just posted some pics of my eggs on the Ameraucana thread and even though they look very blue and the pic is VERY accurate with no touch ups they are not the bluest on the chart. The chart being made from actuall shells collected so I am under the assumption that if the color is not represented in it it probably does not exist.


here is the robin egg pic and below it is a very accurate pic of my eggs right now as the pic was taken on 1/7/10

 

[Sonoran Silkies]

I *think* that a homozygous blue eggshell would likely be deeper in hue than one from a het. bird. Thre is a LOT of speculation, research and opinions posted at the-coop by the real genetics experts.